In the old Soviet Union consumer choice usually consisted of waiting in a long line to get inside the store and then choosing to either buy the one item offered for sale or choosing not to buy. Funny thing is that’s the same choice many Republicans find when they go to the polls in California.

Assuming they bother to go at all.

Ron Nehring in the California Political Review points out that last November Golden State Republicans could vote for leftist Democrat Kamala Harris or equally leftist Democrat Loretta Sanchez for the U.S. Senate. There was no Republican on the ballot.

Now you’re thinking, well that only makes sense. Leftists decided one ballot slot wasn’t enough for them so, in the spirit of Hugh Chavez, they took them all. That’s certainly how it worked out, but strangely enough originally the left had help in this soft coup from misguided politicians who weren’t leftists.

This strange state of affairs is the result of the passage of Proposition 14 which said that regardless of party affiliation, the top two finishers in a primary election that features all comers competing in a political cage match would appear on the November ballot. Nehring explains, “Many of the backers of the 'top two' were convinced it would result in the election of more 'moderate' Democrats.”

What these “moderate Democrats” were expected to do in Sacramento has always been something of a mystery to me. From all appearances the destination — a leftist utopia — has always been the same, “moderate Democrats” just arrive later than the true believers.

As Stephen Frank sagely observes in the 2016 election, “28 legislative seats had only one party on the ballot…Prop. 14 has decimated volunteers in districts where Prop. 14 has kept GOP candidates off the November ballot. Donors that were reliably Republican now give their money to Democrats, since the Republican Party does not seem to be fighting back.”

Frank predicts that by the 2018 election Republicans will be third in party registration, behind Democrats in first, “decline to state” in second and the GOP third.

Obviously, the only hope for rebuilding the GOP is to repeal Prop. 14 and require that only one candidate — victorious in his party primary — be allowed to appear on the November ballot. That way voters will have a genuine choice and not a Hobson’s Choice of TweedleLeft and TweedleLefter.

Only Nehring reports that defeatist GOP former legislators sent an email to GOP state party delegates urging them to retain Prop. 14 and not attempt its repeal. Of course with the current makeup of the legislature chances for repeal were slim to begin with, but when Republican “leaders” employ their fabulous “pre-emptive surrender” seen so often in Washington, the chance for choice in November vanishes altogether.

Michael Reagan, the eldest son of President Reagan, is a Newsmax TV analyst. A syndicated columnist and author, he chairs The Reagan Legacy Foundation. Michael is an in-demand speaker with Premiere speaker’s bureau. Read more reports from Michael Reagan — Go Here Now.

Michael R. Shannon is a commentator, researcher for the League of American Voters, and an award-winning political and advertising consultant with nationwide and international experience. He is author of "Conservative Christian’s Guidebook for Living in Secular Times (Now with added humor!)." Read more of Michael Shannon's reports — Go Here Now.

Ron Nehring in the California Political Review points out that last November Golden State Republicans could vote for leftist Democrat Kamala Harris or equally leftist Democrat Loretta Sanchez for the U.S. Senate. There was no Republican on the ballot.